Content Analysis of Educational Activities in Sixth Grade Science Textbooks in Light of Webb's Depth of Knowledge Levels

Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the content of educational activities in sixth-grade science textbooks in light of regard to Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, which include: recall and reproduction of information, application of concepts, strategic thinking, and extended thinking. The research employed a descriptive-analytical approach, where a content analysis card was designed to reveal the extent to which these levels were included in the educational activities. The results showed that the level of recall and reproduction of information was highly represented in the educational activities, followed by the level of application of concepts. In contrast, the level of strategic thinking was represented at a lower rate, and the level of extended thinking was the least included. The findings also highlighted the need to improve teaching strategies by incorporating mind maps, analytical questions, and scientific experiments that enhance cognitive depth. The study recommended redesigning educational activities to include teaching methods that support strategic and extended thinking, while promoting the use of interactive tools such as virtual experiments, analysis of scientific phenomena, and the development of self-assessment questions. Additionally, the research suggested conducting future analytical studies on different educational stages to measure the extent to which DOK levels are integrated into science curricula.